Mushrooms are a fantastic food, ticking the box from a texture, flavour, cost and availability perspective, and they are also a great addition to all eating plans that focus on health, especially the much-lauded Mediterranean diet.
The Mediterranean diet has been ranked the best overall diet in the world by US News & World Report for seven years straight, as it promotes heart, bone and joint health. They are also a diabetic-friendly ingredient, and has numerous potential cognitive benefits.
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Consistently ranked a top diet
It’s an annual list taken seriously by medical and nutrition professionals worldwide. The optimum version of the Mediterranean diet for health focuses on eating a variety of produce, prioritising ingredients like fungi, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils, nuts, pure olive oil, herbs, garlic and other naturally-grown aromatics.
Poultry, fish, eggs, cheese and yoghurt can be eaten in low to moderate amounts, while all red meats, desserts and sweets are only included occasionally.
Mediterranean diet flavours and meals can include French, Italian, Greek, Croatian, or Moroccan influences., or any country around the region. The guidelines focus more on the content, with lots of vegetables, mushrooms and grains for mains and fruit for dessert.
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Cognitive benefits
“Research has consistently shown that the Mediterranean diet is effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and overall mortality,” notes the Harvard School of Public Health website, citing “increased interest in the diet’s effects on ageing and cognitive function.”
The Mediterranean diet may also “benefit brain health and prevent cognitive decline as you get older,” states the peer-reviewed website Healthline.
A 2021 German-funded study “found a possible link between following a Mediterranean diet, improved memory, and reductions in several risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease;” while a larger Irish study in 2017 “linked the Mediterranean diet to improvements in cognitive function, memory, attention, and processing speed in healthy older adults.”
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Mushrooms in the Mediterranean diet
Mushrooms offer many of the health benefits associated with the Mediterranean diet as they are highly nutritious and deliver an array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
They also contain protein and fibre while being low in sodium and cholesterol. And mushrooms work well with many other Mediterranean diet staples, from tomatoes and courgettes to pasta and seafood.
Mushrooms are also a great meat substitutes with their umami flavour, making them an ideal replacement for meat in the Mediterranean diet.
Author: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sport or health and fitness, Pedro is probably out training for his next marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms expert. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
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